Riverview column: It is time for a sleep study?

There are a number of sleep disorders that keep us from getting the rest we need. While poor sleep can be devastating to our quality of life, some sleep disorders — such as sleep apnea — can actually be life-threatening. The most common sleep disorders are:

A sleep study is typically the quickest and best way to find out whether you have a sleep disorder. It's time for a sleep study if:

• Your bed partner complains of loud snoring and has witnessed you not breathing.

• You wake up with a dry mouth or sore throat, coughing, choking or unable to catch your breath.

• You have excessive daytime sleepiness and decreased energy during the day.

• You are unable to remain awake while driving.

Many people don't realize that sleep studies are available locally at Riverview Sleep Lab. Regardless of where you go to the doctor, you can tell your doctor you want your sleep study performed in Riverview's beautiful, comfortable, private rooms.

Setting up a sleep study is easy. Just call Riverview Sleep Lab at 715-421-7575. We will check with your insurance in advance, so you will know whether your study is covered before you come in. On the evening of your study, you will arrive at Riverview at about 7 p.m. and will stay until about 7a.m. the following morning.

During your study, sensors on your face and scalp measure your eye movement and brain activity, a sensor at your nose measures your air flow, elastic belt sensors around your chest and stomach measure the amount of effort it takes for you to breathe, and a sensor on your finger measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. None of these sensors are painful, and our sleep study patients typically sleep surprisingly comfortably with them on. Wires connected to these sensors transmit data to our polysomnographic technologist in a nearby room. That data is sent to a pulmonologist/sleep specialist, who prepares a report for you and your doctor to review and discuss.

Sometimes a sleep disorder is evident early in your sleep study. When this happens, our polysomnographic technologist can immediately have you try a CPAP (a mask that provides continuous positive airway pressure). This enables you to experience the CPAP therapy and allows us to immediately measure whether your sleep improves. While you may not like the idea of wearing a CPAP, it can dramatically improve the quality of your life — and might even save it.

To learn more about sleep studies at Riverview Sleep Lab, call us at 715-421-7575.